By Joseph Kiggundu
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Monday witnessed the signing of a Host Country Agreement between the Government of Uganda and the African Union (AU) for the establishment of the AU Humanitarian Agency headquarters in Uganda.
The agreement was signed at State House, Entebbe, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s efforts to host the continental institution responsible for strengthening Africa’s humanitarian response.
President Museveni welcomed the decision to establish the agency’s headquarters in Uganda, noting that it would play a critical role in coordinating humanitarian assistance during emergencies, including the distribution of food and other essential supplies to populations affected by disasters and other crises.
He said the agency would strengthen Africa’s capacity to respond to humanitarian challenges while improving coordination of assistance to vulnerable communities across the continent.
The Attorney General, Hon. Sam Mayanja, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Uganda, thanked President Museveni for spearheading the country’s efforts to secure the bid to host the continental agency.
Hon. Mayanja said Uganda’s successful bid, in which it scored 85 per cent, demonstrated the confidence and recognition the country enjoys within the African Union.
He explained that the process of establishing the headquarters is expected to commence in December 2026 and take approximately three years before the agency becomes fully operational.
He added that the Host Country Agreement provides the legal and institutional framework for the establishment and operation of the agency in Uganda, pledging the Government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.
The Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hon. Sam Engola, described the signing as a significant milestone in strengthening humanitarian cooperation among African countries.
He commended the African Union for selecting Uganda to host the agency, saying the decision recognised the country’s longstanding contribution to humanitarian assistance, particularly its open-door refugee policy and continued support for displaced people from different parts of the world.
Hon. Engola noted that Uganda’s experience in refugee management and humanitarian response would provide a strong foundation for the agency’s operations.
On her part, the African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah, expressed appreciation to President Museveni and the Government and people of Uganda for accepting to host the agency.
She described the signing of the Host Country Agreement as more than a formal diplomatic undertaking, saying it represented an important step towards translating Africa’s political commitment into institutional reality and strengthening the continent’s ownership of humanitarian responses.
Commissioner Twum-Amoah said Uganda was a fitting home for the agency because of its longstanding solidarity with people affected by displacement and forced migration.
She particularly highlighted the significance of Kampala, whose name is associated with the 2009 Kampala Convention, Africa’s landmark legal instrument for the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons.
She observed that Kampala had the potential to emerge as a continental hub for humanitarian action, from which African solutions could be coordinated, institutional capacity strengthened and solidarity mobilised.
The Commissioner noted that expectations for the agency were high amid growing humanitarian challenges across the continent, including armed conflicts, forced displacement, climate-related disasters, food insecurity and disease outbreaks, which continue to put millions of people at risk.
She emphasised the need for Africa to strengthen its capacity to anticipate and respond to emergencies, support Member States and protect vulnerable populations.
She said the agency should be more than an institution on paper, but instead serve as an instrument of African solidarity, a platform for coordinated action and a vehicle for humanitarian diplomacy.
Commissioner Twum-Amoah revealed that the African Union Commission had already mobilised the essential initial staff required to begin operationalising the agency.
She said the Commission was ready to work closely with the Government of Uganda to facilitate the deployment of the initial team to Kampala, preferably by the end of November or, at the latest, by mid-December 2026.
She underscored the urgency of moving from institutional arrangements to actual operational capacity, noting that Africa could not afford delays when millions of people across the continent required timely, coordinated and effective humanitarian assistance.
The early deployment of the team, she said, would mark the first step towards establishing the agency’s presence in Uganda, building its operational capacity and fulfilling the mandate entrusted to it by African Heads of State and Government.